Press Room
Panel: Leveling the Playing Field: Competing for Creative Talent
Anne Fisher of FORTUNE magazine moderated an insightful panel that discussed the recruitment battlefield, particularly for small- to mid-sized companies.
Ted Muendel, co-founder of Stanton Chase International, noted what he called the gathering “perfect storm” in recruitment—the confluence of a demographic shift in which the most productive workers will have aged out of the workforce by 2010 to 2015 combined with increases in demand for talent. As a result, the competition for talent—especially the “A” talent—will be more intense than ever. He echoed the recruiting axiom that “talent rules,” and that according to business leaders, the most important investment that companies can make is in people, not products or services.
From a recruiting standpoint, Susie Bonvouloir of the Fairfax office of Canada-based technology firm CGI, offered three tactical tips on seeking out new employees. First, she noted that companies must look beyond the active job seeker into the ranks of those who are more passively looking. She encouraged recruiters to leverage their networks and employ technology, such as networking sites like LinkedIn and a new site for passive job seekers called ZoomInfo.com.
Second, she urged recruiters to be mindful of generational differences. More than ever, she said parents of younger workers have a significant influence over their kids, including their career choices. And lastly, Bonvouloir emphasized the need for employers to be flexible with the company’s work environment. She said that such accommodations as telecommuting have increased productivity, although it has created some cultural issues among how these employees are perceived by other workers, an issue that she is addressing at work.
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Top: Anne Fisher; Bottom, left to right: Susie Bonvouloir and Edward (Ted) Muendel. All photos by Kaveh Sardari. These and many other high-resolution images from the National Conference on the Creative Economy may be viewed and purchased from www.sardari.com.
